3 Maoist rebels killed in Nepal

Three Maoist rebels have been killed in a clash with police in a remote western hill district of Nepal.

The chief administrative officer for Rolpa district said the rebels were killed when a police patrol opened fire in self-defence after coming under attack.

This is the first major police encounter with the rebels since a three-party non-communist coalition came to power last October.

The new government says the Maoists are terrorists and it'll take strong measures to deal with them.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service